| Before discussing what water purifiers do, we need | | | | complex systems use ion exchange. Commonly used |
| to define "pure." In regards to water, this means only | | | | forms of this are called water softening or |
| hydrogen and oxygen molecules without any other | | | | deionization. Reverse osmosis purifiers are becoming |
| substances. Pure water cannot be found naturally | | | | increasingly popular for home use. After an initial |
| because all water has some forms of impurities. In | | | | expense, they become effective ways of assuring |
| fact, many of these are considered beneficial to | | | | that bacteria are removed from water along with |
| health including many minerals which are picked up | | | | other contaminants. |
| along the water's journey from the sky and through | | | | Many filters are also purifiers in some sense. |
| streams. However, the water that most municipals | | | | However, these are not always effective in removing |
| systems use is from the ground. This means that it | | | | all bacteria because they work on a micron level. It is |
| contains a wide range of contaminants including | | | | important that you understand what water purifiers |
| industrial waste, pesticides and even bacteria and | | | | can remove and how this differs from water filtration |
| viruses. | | | | systems. While purifiers are removing most harmful |
| The EPA and the water industry have redefined pure | | | | bacterium and viruses, they do not attend to |
| water as water which does not contain bacteria. | | | | undesirable minerals and chemicals. For some, purifiers |
| When you use purifiers, you are removing these | | | | may even be preferred because they leave the |
| contaminants. One of the most common methods of | | | | healthy aspects of water. Find out what your |
| doing this is distillation, which is often used in third | | | | priorities are and what your water treatment options |
| world countries simply by boiling the water. More | | | | are before buying. |